| 日期 10 September 2025
Adrian Abazi is a PhD researcher at the University of Münster focused on quantum technology applications, particularly in light detection and ranging (LiDAR). His work seeks to capture images of remote objects with clarity by analyzing photon detection events from superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) with picosecond precision using Swabian Instruments’ Time Tagger X in HighRes mode (TTX-HR).
Adrian’s setup is an SNSPD-based ToF LiDAR system. It uses short laser pulses sent toward a target, with reflections detected by a waveguide-integrated SNSPD. The system determines the time of flight (ToF) by comparing a reference signal captured by a photodiode with the reflected pulse, both timestamped using the Time Tagger X. An image is then built by scanning the beam over the target with galvo mirrors. By using waveguide-integrated SNSPDs, Adrian overcomes the limitations of conventional designs and achieves higher efficiency and timing precision. As he puts it, “This combination of efficient photon counting and low-jitter timing is what makes high-resolution ToF LiDAR imaging possible.”
Before adopting Swabian Instruments’ Time Tagger X, previous timing electronics resulted in accuracy limitations. Beyond the hardware constraints, the earlier system required more manual post-processing to generate histograms, which also had lower resolution. “With the Time Tagger X, we immediately noticed the leap in timing precision and how much easier it was to analyze data in real time,” Adrian explains. The low jitter (down to 1.5 ps RMS) provided the precision needed for their experiments, while the intuitive Graphical User Interface (GUI) and comprehensive Application Programmer’s Interface (API), including the Histogram() measurement, enabled efficient real-time analysis of detector data. The high data throughput and real-time processing features also supported more advanced experiments like multi-photon detection.
Adrian expresses his appreciation to his colleagues, Connor Graham-Scott, who handled the nanofabrication of the chips and operated the cryostat; Roland Jaha, an expert in photon number resolving SNSPDs and RF electronics; and Prof. Carsten Schuck from the Department of Quantum Technology, in whose lab the experiments were carried out, saying, “I’m very grateful for the great support and expertise of my colleagues throughout this work.”
For more information about the experimental setup, measurements, and results, please refer to the application note Time-of-Flight Light Detection and Ranging (ToF LiDAR).
When PhD researcher Adrian Abazi set out to improve the resolution of Time-of-Flight (ToF) LiDAR at the University of Münster, he and his team faced a familiar challenge: traditional timing electronics weren’t precise enough. Older systems added noise, slowed workflows, and required heavy post-processing, limiting how far they could push their experiments.
Adrian’s research shows how much of a difference the right tools can make. He and his team overcame key challenges around timing accuracy by switching to the Swabian Instruments Time Tagger X. They pushed their LiDAR system to a sub-millimeter level of precision. With lower jitter and real-time feedback, they achieved sharper resolution and could experiment more freely, unlocking features like multi-photon detection and advanced system tuning. Alongside his LiDAR work, Adrian also explores Photon Number Resolution (PNR) techniques as part of his broader research into advanced quantum sensing applications. This improved their results and opened up exciting possibilities for their future work. As Adrian continues exploring the frontiers of quantum technology, having reliable, high-performance tools like the wi-SNSPDs and the Swabian Instruments Time Tagger X (with the High Resolution feature enabled) will play a significant role in driving innovation forward.
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[1] A. S. Abazi, R. Jaha, C. A. Graham-Scott, W. H. P. Pernice, and C. Schuck, “Multiphoton enhanced resolution for superconducting nanowire single-photon detector-based time-of-flight lidar systems,” Phys. Rev. Res., vol. 7, no. 3, p. 033114, Aug. 2025, doi: 10.1103/sv4y-qps6
Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) are laser-based remote sensing techniques that have become essential across many areas of science and engineering, spanning geodesy, Earth observation, topographic mapping, forestry, urban modelling, and autonomous systems.
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Time-of-Flight Light Detection and Ranging (ToF LiDAR) is a powerful method for 3D imaging, where a pulsed laser is reflected from a target and the time delay of the returned photons provides distance information. Achieving sub-millimeter resolution in such systems requires ultra-low-jitter detectors and high-precision timing electronics.
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